nano - ArchWiki

# nano

GNU nano (or nano) is a text editor which aims to introduce a simple interface and intuitive command options to console based text editing. nano supports features including colorized syntax highlighting, DOS/Mac file type conversions, spellchecking and UTF-8 encoding. nano opened with an empty buffer typically occupies under 1.5 MB of resident memory.

## Installation

nano is available in the nano package. It is likely that is already on your system, as it is included in the base group.

## Configuration

The look, feel, and function of nano is typically controlled by way of either command-line arguments, or configuration commands within the file `~/.nanorc`.

A sample configuration file is installed upon program installation and is located at `/etc/nanorc`. To customize your nano configuration, first create a local copy at `~/.nanorc`:

    $ cp /etc/nanorc ~/.nanorc

Proceed to establish the nano console environment by setting and/or unsetting commands within `~/.nanorc` file.

Tip: nanorc(5) details the complete list configuration commands available for nano.
Note: Command-line arguments override and take precedence over the configuration commands established in `~/.nanorc`

### Syntax highlighting

Nano ships with predefined syntax highlighting rules, defined in `/usr/share/nano/*.nanorc`. To enable them, add the following line to your `~/.nanorc` or to `/etc/nanorc`:

    include "/usr/share/nano/*.nanorc"

Syntax highlighting enhancements which replace and expand the defaults can be found in the AUR, nano-syntax-highlighting-gitAUR. See [1] for Forth highlighting.

#### PKGBUILD

- Save https://paste.xinu.at/4ss/ (similar to svntogit-server) to `/etc/nano/pkgbuild.nanorc` and include it:

    include "/etc/nano/pkgbuild.nanorc"

- nano-syntax-highlighting-gitAUR has an alternate version

### Suspension

Unlike most interactive programs, suspension is not enabled by default. To change this, uncomment the 'set suspend' line in `/etc/nanorc`. This will allow you to use the keys `Ctrl+z` to send nano to the background.

### Text wrapping

Unlike many text editors, nano wraps text. To disable this put this in your `~/.nanorc`

    set nowrap

## Usage

### Special functions

- `Ctrl` key modified shortcuts (`^`) representing commonly used functions are listed along the bottom two lines of the nano screen.
- Additional functions can be interactively toggled by way of `Meta` (typically `Alt`) and/or `Esc` key modified sequences.

#### Shortcut lists overview

Key1 | Key2 | Command | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
^G | F1 | Get Help | Displays the online help files within the session window. A suggested read for nano users of all levels
^X | F2 | Exit | Close and exit nano
^O | F3 | WriteOut | Save the contents of the current file buffer to a file on the disk
^J | F4 | Justify | Aligns text according to the geometry of the console window
^R | F5 | Read File | Inserts another file into the current one at the cursor location
^W | F6 | Where | Perform a case-insensitive string, or regular expression search
^Y | F7 | Prev Page | Display the previous buffered screen
^V | F8 | Next Page | Display the next buffered screen
^K | F9 | Cut Text | Cut and store the current line from the beginning of the line to the end of the line
^U | F10 | UnCut Text | Paste the contents of the cut buffer to the current cursor location
^C | F11 | Cur Pos | Display line, column and character position information at the current location of the cursor
^T | F12 | To Spell | Spellcheck the contents of the buffer with the built-in `spell`, if available

Tip: See the nano online help files via `Ctrl+g` within nano and the nano Command Manual for complete descriptions and additional support.

#### Selected toggle functions

Key1 | Key2 | Description
--- | --- | ---
Meta+c | Esc+c | Toggles support for line, column and character position information
Meta+i | Esc+i | Toggles support for the auto indentation of lines
Meta+k | Esc+k | Toggles support for cutting text from the current cursor position to the end of the line
Meta+m | Esc+m | Toggles mouse support for cursor placement, marking and shortcut execution
Meta+x | Esc+x | Toggles the display of the shortcut list at the bottom of the nano screen for additional screen space

Tip: Feature Toggles lists the global toggles available for nano.

## Tips & tricks

### Replacing vi with nano

Casual users may prefer to use `nano` over `vi` for its simplicity and ease of use, and may opt to replace vi with nano as the default text editor for commands such as visudo.

Setting the `EDITOR` environment variable will work for many applications, for example:

    export EDITOR=nano

## Troubleshooting

### Hijacked keybindings

Some window managers have keybindings that conflict with nano, for example `Alt+Enter`. Remove or remap them to e.g `Super` (with dconf for mutter, muffin and marco) and restart the window manager.

## See also

- nano (text editor) - Wikipedia Entry
- GNU nano Homepage - Official Site
- GNU nano Bugs Bug Reporting
- Better syntax highlighting definitions

Category:

- Text editors